For Once
by Gwynwidlen
Summary: Dean asks John to stay home..even if it's just this once. K


**For Once**

**by Gwynwidlen**

**Summary: Dean asks John to stay home...even if it's just this once. K+**

* * *

John Winchester was heading out to help some hunters kill a vamp nest. 14-year-old Dean, however, had other ideas.

"Dad don't go." Dean pleaded with John as they stood by the door.

"Dean, I have to. Now feed your brother and give him a bath. I'll be home before sun-up." John said.

"But _Dad_. Why can't you stay home? Just this once!? There are other hunters here, they can take care of it. Dad please.." Dean wrapped his arms around John. He didn't often need his dad, but he just wished that he could have him home for once.

"Dean Winchester, you know I have to go. You know what this job means. I don't like it this way, trust me I want to give you and your brother the life you deserve. But that's not possible if I am home all the time." said John. Dean looked down, not wanting John to see him cry. He turned away.

"Whatever, just go. I'll take care of Sam."

"I love you Dean. I hope you know that."

Dean didn't answer him. He walked over to the tiny kitchen they had in their room, to make Sam something to eat. 10-year-old Sam was sitting on the couch, drawing, not listening to his brother and father talking.

"Sammy, sandwich." Dean said, putting the sandwich on a plate and setting it on the table.

"Hold on." Sam said.

"Come and eat now!" Dean snapped.

"I said wait a minute!" Sam yelled back. He looked up at his older brother, whose face was red and angry with tears. Sam closed his mouth, put his sketch pad on the couch and went to give his brother a hug. Dean hugged Sam back, trying really hard to not cry.

John watched his boys standing there, holding each other. He sighed and left the room. Dean looked up, upon hearing the door shut. He shuddered out a sigh, tears welling up again.

"I'm sorry for yelling Sammy. I just want Dad here."

Sam sat down and chomped on his sandwich. "It's OK.. I want him here too."

Outside the motel room, John was on the phone with a hunter named Wes.

"I'm sorry Wes, I can't leave the boys tonight. Dean really wants me here. I'll help out next time." John said smoothly. Wes cussed him out but finally agreed he should stay with his boys.

Back inside, Sam had finished his food and Dean was getting his bath ready.

"Bubble bath?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Dean said unscrewing the cap and pouring some into the running water. Sam stripped and got in, splashing around. Dean smiled, watching Sam pile bubbles on his head. He jumped, hearing the door open and shut again.

He stood up and opened the bathroom door, peering out. In the main room, John was taking off his boots and setting his bag down. He walked toward the bathroom. Dean opened the door.

"Dad, you're here?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," John smiled. "I cancelled with Wes. He and the guys can handle it." Dean smiled wide and hugged his father tightly. John kissed Dean's head.

"Daddy?" Sam called from the tub.

"Yeah, kiddo I'm here." John and Dean kneeled in front of the bath tub, Sam scooted to the side and John kissed his head as well.

"I'm glad you're here." Sam said.

"Me too."

They watched Sam as he took his bath and, for once, John washed Sam's hair and cleaned behind his ears. Dean took a shower while John was drying the youngest Winchester off. They all crawled on to the bed Sam and Dean share. John took off his leather jacket, putting it around Dean.

Both boys snuggled into their father. Sam fell asleep quickly, leaving John and Dean to talk quietly about where they were going next.

"I love you Dad."

"I love you too buddy." John said, nuzzling his boy's head. All three Winchester slept soundly.

Dean was surprised to find John still laying in bed when he woke up. Sam, however, was sitting at the table, continuing his drawing from yesterday. Dean got up, making sure not to wake John up, so he could get Sam his cereal.

It was nearing 9 o' clock when John's cell went off. He grumbled and rolled over, finding the phone on the table and answering with a gruff, "Hello?"

Dean and Sam watched John as he sat up quickly looking alarmed. Seeing his kids staring at him, he softened his expression.

"Yeah, OK. Thanks for telling me. Alright, bye." John said. He hung up and rubbed his face.

"What's wrong Daddy?" Sam asked.

"Nothing baby. It's just...there were more vamps than they expected.. and some of them escaped." John said. Dean frowned.

"I should have let you go." he said looking down. John walked over to the boys and put his hand on Dean's head.

"I'm glad I stayed." John replied. He looked over at Sam's sketch pad.

"What're you drawing Sammy?" he asked. Sam blushed, pushing the book over to his father. It was a drawing of him, John and Dean, standing in front of a house with a picket-fence. In the top left window of the house, there was a shadow of a woman. Mary. John smiled. "That's very good Sam."

They had a good day together. They went for a walk, then went out for hamburgers. After that they snuggled up together on the couch, Dean and Sam argued over who got to have John's leather jacket. Sam won, but Dean got to sit next to John. The boys fell asleep. John didn't. He stayed awake thinking about the hunters he let down.

Looking down at his two boys, he vowed he would never tell them that Wes was killed trying to kill those vampires. It would hurt them too much. John felt bad, but he didn't regret his decision to stay with the boys.

He would just add hunting the vampire that killed Wes on to the list.

* * *

12 years later,

Dean and Sam were in the same town, just travelling through.

"They have the best hamburgers here, remember?" Dean asked. Sam nodded, smiling weakly.

"That time that Dad stayed home with us." Sam added. They both grinned at each other. Their hamburgers arrived shortly after. They ate happily, talking about how their Dad wasn't a jerk, just that one time.

"I miss him Dean."

"I know. Me too, but it's OK Sammy. At least we have this one memory of him. Let's let nothing spoil it." Dean smiled in the goofy way he does. Sam rolled his eyes and smiled.

Little did they know, in the booth behind them, was the vampire that killed the hunter Wes all those years ago. John never told them about Wes, and he also never caught up with the killer. After hearing enough, he got up and left the diner, slipping a little surprise on Dean's seat.

After their meal, the boys went back to the Impala. Dean looked in seeing a newspaper on his seat.

"What the hell?" he pulled the paper off the seat, not bother to open the door. It was open on an article about a murder.

"What is it?" Sam asked. Dean opened the driver's side door, eyes scanning the page.

"It's a newspaper from...twelve years ago. A murder about a man named Wes Kirkland. He was found in a dumpster by an abandoned mill, throat slit, and all the blood drained. Why is this here?" Dean asked.

"Wait a minute...wasn't Wes a friend of dad's?" Sam asked. Dean checked the date of Wes's murder, and his blood ran cold.

"Sammy... Wes was a hunter. The hunter that asked for dad's help. He was murdered the night Dad stayed home with us." Dean said in a shaky voice, feeling 14 again and wanting to cry.

"That call it was actually about Wes's murder."

"Well, maybe the vamp that did it got away."

The brothers looked at each other solemnly. They had one good memory of their father. One where he selflessly stayed with them and made them feel like a real family, and now they couldn't even have that.

"Looks like we have our next case.." Sam sighed.

"I guess so." Dean replied, he threw the paper angrily in the back of the Impala and started the car.

While he drove, he thought about how stupid he was to think that his father could stay, for once, and that everything would be OK.

* * *

**Fin.**

**This is complete. I will not add to it. Do not follow. Favorite and Review please.**


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